Internal-combustion



J. c. WUODFORD.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.9 IQIE. r 1,320,954. 7 Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR 0556 0;, (Zn 00 mm;

I i ATTO R N EY J. C. WOODFORD. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPUCAHON FILED QCTQ, 1916. h 1 ,32Q954. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E lg i INVENTOR 065 0]? 6. w oagfald ATTORNEY JOSEPH C. WOODFORD, 0F OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

InrEaiTAL-coiviBUsrIoN ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4:, 1919.

Application fi led. October 9, 1916. Serial No ,124,639.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that L'Josnrn C. Woonronn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in internal combustion engines, and more particularly to an explosive engine of the type in which gas chargesare fired on both forward and back sides of the piston, thus giving a double actuating impulse to the piston.

' A-n objectof my invention is to provide an engine in which the power cylinder is arrztnged to have a gas charge ignited in each end thereof to thus give working strokes upon movement of the piston in each direction, and to provide means in conjunction with the working cylinder arrangedto introduce the gas or explosive mixture charges into each of the ends thereof under pressure. 7

A further object lies in providing governor actuated means by which the explosive mixture feed and the intake and eX- haust controls will be regulated during the operation of the engine to act in a manner to accomplish the most efiicient use of fuel and operation of the engine.

Nith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view partly .in' plan and partly in section to show the general arrangement of the parts of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail view to better disclose the automatic or governor actuated control.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view to show the means by which the lubricant feed is accomplished.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation showing the arrangement of the parts of the cooling water circulating means as con nected with the piston rod.

The power cylinder 1 has the piston 2 mounted therein to be capable of reciprocatory movement, the piston rod 3 being connected with the piston to move and be mo ed'the cwith, Adjacent the PQW r 7 inder 1, a compression cylinder 4 is positioned, and as is shown in Fig. 1 these cylinders might be embraced in a single casting. This compression cylinder a has a compression piston 5 mounted therein in a manner to be capable of reciprocatory movement and a piston rod 6 is connected with this piston by which movement may be imparted thereto. It is preferable that the power cylinder 1 and the compression cylinder 4: be water jacketed so that during the operation of the engine they will notbecome eX- cessively heated, although it will of course be understood that provision might be made i for air cooling these cylinders, and also it is desirable that stufling boXes or glands be provided around the piston rods 3 and 6 to form substantially fluid tight closures at the openings through which they pass, it being understood that these piston rods 3 and 6 must be mounted to have suflicient clearance that they are permitted free endwise movement.

A crank shaft 7 has the crank 8 thereon arranged to establish the throw of the power piston 2, and it is preferable that the pitman rod 9 be connected between this crank and the cross head 10 mounted in the guideways 11 and having the piston rod 3 connected therewith at its outer end, the parts being thus so arranged that as the piston 2 is given reciprocatory movement in the power cylinder 1, this movement will be transmitted to accomplish rotation of the powershaft or crank shaft 7. It is preferable that the balance or fly wheel 12 be mounted on this power or crank shaft 7 and 1 thus more even movement of the same will be accomplished. The outer end of the pistonrod 6 is connected with the cross head 13 which is mounted in suitable guideways, and a pitman rod 14 is connected with this cross head 13 and with a crank pin 15 which is carried by the arm 16 mounted on the power shaft 7 to be capable of movement.

Intake passages 17 and 18 are arranged to communicate with opposite ends of the compression cylinder 4: and the check valves 19 and 20, which are preferably of the pup pet type are arranged at the inner ends of these intake passages 17 and 18, the springs 21 and 22 being mounted to normally exert tension to close the valves 19 and 20. These valves 19 and 20 are so mounted that they check back flow of fluid from the compression cylinder 5i through the intake passages 17 and 18, but by overcoming the pressure of the springs 21 and 22, the check valves may be unseated to allow flow of an explosive mixture or charge through the intake passages 17 and 18 to opposite ends of the compression cylinder 4.

The power cylinder 1 has the exhaust passages 23 and 24 leading from the ends thereof and valves 25 and 26 are mounted to control the opening to these exhaust pas sages. Valve chambers 27 and 28 are located between the compression cylinder 4 and the power cylinder 1 and these valve chambers open into both cylinders, the retatable or oscillatory valves 29 and 30 being mounted in the chambers 27 and 28 in such a manner that they may be turned to close access from the one cylinder to the other or in another setting will have the passages 31 and 32 thereof establishing direct communi cation from the compression cylinder to the power cylinder.

In the use of the structure as described, the intake passages 17 and 18 will be connected with a carbureter or other suitable charge forn'iing device and assuming that a charge has been takenin through the passage 18, compressed by the piston and then forced through the valve passage 31 into the head end of the power cylinder 1, the exhaust valve 26 will have been closed and the valve 30 is then oscillated to close access from the compression cylinder'to the power cylinder after which the spark plug 32 is energized to cause a spark to pass between the terminals thereof to ignite the explosive mixture between the end of the power cylinder 1 and the head of the piston 2. This firing of the explosive mixture causes the piston rod 3 to be extended through expan sion of the burning gas and consequently the movement of the piston toward the opposite end of the cylinder 1 will cause the power shaft 7 to be turned through throwing of the crank arn': 8 connected by the piston 9 to receive movement from the piston rod 3. Upon the stroke of the compression piston 5 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the valve 19 will have been opened by suction within the compression cylinder 4 and consequently a full volume of explosive mixture will have been taken into the compression cylinder so that upon IDOV'GD'IQDlL of the crank arm 16 through turning of the shaft 7, and the consequent movement of the piston 5 through the connection of the parts with the piston rod 6, the charge of explosive mixture which has been taken into the compression cylinder 4 behind the piston 5 will be compressed, it of course being understood that the valve 29 is occupying somewhat the relative positioning shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings where the passage 31 thereof is closed. The exhaust control valve 25 will be opened during the stroke of the piston 2 under the impulse of the gas charge fired against the head thereof, and consequently the contents of the power cylinder 1 will be exhausted, and then when the pistons 2 and 5 have reached substantially the inner end of their stroke, the valve 29 will be shifted to a position that the passage 31 permits the flow of the compressed charge from the compression cylinder 4 to the power cylinder 1 behind the piston 2, the exhaust valve 25 being closed at substantially the same in stant as the valve 29 is shifted to the open position, or immediately thereafter, and the explosive charge being thus confined behind the piston 2. The valve 29 will be again shifted to the closed position and the spark plug 33 becomes active at the proper instant so that the compressed gas charge is ignited behind the piston 2 to thus cause return movement ofthe same to the position shown in Fig. 1. As the piston 5-1noves on its instroke, the intake control valve 20 will be opened through suction and a charge of explosive mixture will be taken into the compression cylinder 4 on the head side of the piston 5. It will of course be understood that suitable means must be provided to control the operation of the valves 29 and 30, of the exhaust valves 25 and 26, and the timing of the sparks at the plugs 32 and 33, but as this structure may be of any approved form or of the standard type, I have not here illustrated the same. This control means might be in the form of cams operating suit able shift rods, gearing arranged to accomplish the same purpose, or other mechanism which would accomplish the desired purpose and object.

The structure as described above will op crate to accomplish an efficient production of power. However, it is preferable that means be provided to allow an earlier action of the compressing means as the machine increases in speed and with this purpose in view I provide the mechanism as better shown in Fig. 2. As has been stated, it is preferable that the arm 16 be mounted on the shaft 7 in such a manner that at least limited n'iovement thereof is permitted, although it will of course be understood that where no control is provided, this arm 16 will be mounted in a fixed relation upon the shaft and will extend substantially in line with. the crank arms 8. lVhen the arm 16 is loosely mounted on the shaft 7, means must be provided to hold the same to turn with the shaft and with the rotation of the fly wheel 12, and it is in this means that I contemplate embodying the means to automatithe piston over all parts of the cylinder.

moving force will be exerted upon the other part. The arms 35 and36 are mounted pivotally at diametrically opposite points .upon the rim of the fly wheel 12, and have the branches 37 and 38 extending therefrom and provided with the weights 39 and 40 at their outer ends so that as the fly wheel is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow the natural tendency of these weighted branched ends of the levers 35 and 36 is to swing outwardly. Links 41 and 42 are connected pivotally with the arms of the yoke 34 and with the levers 35 and 36, and thus as'the weighted branched ends of these levers are swung outwardly through the centrifugal action, the links 41 and 42 will be moved over against" the arms of the yoke 34 so that the point of pivot of the lever with the wheel, the links with the levers, and the arms of the yoke with the links, will be in line, thus imparting movement to the yoke 34. This movement of the yoke acts to swing the arm 16 so that it occupies a varied relation with respect to the crank arms 8 and will thus vary the movement of the piston 5. The coil springs 43 and 44 are connected with the levers 35 and 36 and the fly wheel in such a manner that they normally exert tension to draw these levers inwardly so that the links 41 and 42 will be drawn against the arms of the yoke 34 and will hold thearm 16 in its alined relation with respect to the crank arm.

i To accomplish lubrication of the cylinders, it is preferable that the oil or other lubricant be injected into the cylinders in such a manner that it will be deposited upon the piston and will be distributed by wall, and with this purpose in mind I insert the plug 45 through the cylinder, preferably at the upper side thereof, and at substantially the end of the stroke, although it will of course be understood that lubrication might be accomplished at each end of the stroke of the piston, under which circumstances a plug would be placed adjacent to each of the ends of the cylinder.- The pistons are grooved as indicated at 46., and

a lubricant supply passage 47 is formed through the plugs 45 with its inner end so disposed that as the piston reaches the turning point this lubricant supply passage 47 will be in direct communication with the groove 46 of the piston head. The passage 47 extends entirely through the plug 45 and a lubricant feed passage 48 is formedin the plug to communicate with the supply passage 47 adjacent the inner end thereof, a pipe 49 being connected in with this feed passage 48 and leading from a suitable source of lubricant supply, which is preferably kept under pressure. A plunger 50 is mounted in the liquid supply passage 47 to have a slid g fit therein a d t be capable of reciprocatory movement within the passage, a spring 51 being mounted around the upper end of this plunger 50 to bear against the head 52 thereof and thus normally hold the plunger in a raised position where the lower end will clear the opening of the lubricant feed passage 48 into the supply passage 47. A cam lever 53 is mounted on the trunnion or shaft 54 so that it is ca pable of swinging movement with one of the ends thereof adjacent the head 52 of the plunger 50, and a cam wheel 55 is mounted on a rotating shaft 56 in such relation that a friction roller 57 carried by one end of the cam lever 53 will roll upon the peripheral edge of this cam wheel. An adjusting bolt 58 is mounted through the end of the cam lever 53 is disposed adjacent the head 52 of the plunger 50. By tightening this adjusting bolt 58 or lifting the same, the relative height to which the plunger 50 may be raised through the action of the spring 51 can be varied. The cam wheel 55 is provided with a notch which is the only break in the surface thereof and the parts are so arranged that as the shaft 56 is rotated and the cam wheel 55 travels against the friction roller 57, the adjusting bolt 58 will bear down against the plunger 50 to holdthe same in a position to close the feed passage 48 at practically all times with the exception of when the wheel 57 falls into the groove or notch of the cam wheel 55, this groove or notch being so disposed that the piston is on that stroke which brings the groove 46 in communication with the open end of the lubricant supply passage 47. This falling of the wheel 57 into the notch or groove of the cam wheel 55 permits the spring 51 to raise the plunger 50 to a point that lubricant may be supplied through the feed passage 48 and through the lubricant supply passage 47, to the groove 46, the raising of the friction wheel 57 out of the notch or groove of the cam wheel 55 acting to again force the plunger 50 downwardly against the tension of the spring 51 to a relation that the feed passage 48 is again closed. As has been stated, it is preferable that lubricant be supplied through the pipe 49 under pressure and thus during the instant that the feed passage 48 is uncovered, a sufficient supply of lubricant will be injected to properly lubricate the piston within the cylinder. Where it may be desired to give a greater or lesser supply of lubricant, this can be accomplished by adjusting the bolt 58, and it will of course be understood that the parts will operate with equal efiiciency in any setting of the same.

While the usual gravity feed or any form of pump might be employed in the circulation of water through the jackets of the 7 cylinders, it is preferable that some means be also employed to accomplish cooling of the piston rod 3 as the firing of the charge in the cylinder for each stroke of the piston will generate considerable heat, and with this in mind, I make the piston rod 3 hollow and tubular with one end of the passage thereof opening on the head side of the piston and the remaining end into a chamber provided in the cross head 10, the con fi uration of which is better indicated by the dotted lines at 59, in Fig. 4E. A water circulation passage is provided at 60, through the head of the cylinder 1 so that communication is established with the water jacket thereof, and a tube 61 is secured around this circulation passage 60 and is extended to have a sliding fit within the bore of the piston rod 3 so that it is fitted telescopically therein to allow the reciprocatory movement of the piston and rod and to yet maintain the water conducting passage from the chamber 59 to the" water jacket through the circulation passage 60. A water supply pipe 62 is connected with the guide bar 11 and is provided with a passage extending therethrough to be at all times in communication with the chamber 59 of the cross head 10 which chamber by the way is extended to have some length, and a check valve 63 is mounted in this water supply pipe 62 so that as the piston rod is extended and withdrawn through the movement of the piston 2, a pumping action will be accomplished and back flow of the water will be checked by the valve 63.

It will be observed that the crank arm 16 controlling the movement of the piston 5, is connected with the crank arm 8 controlling the movements of the piston 2, entirely through the governor mechanism; and the relative position of these crank arms is adjusted by said governor, while the throw of the crank does not change. The result of variations in the speed of the engine, therefore, is to vary the point of greatest compression or the moment when this greatest compression occurs, without necessarily varying the degree of the compression itself, and is extremely useful in an engineof this character, especially when thevalves admitting the compressed charge to the power cylinder are capable of adjustment as is usually the case.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an engine structure which presents the parts in such a manner that a comparatively light weight engine of a relatively high horse power is provided, that through the pre-compression of the charge greater eflieiency is obtained from the fuel or explosive mixture as consumed, that the arrangement of the cooling and oiling pistons in the manner set forth presents these parts in such a manner that the engine at all times operates at its highest efi'iciency, and that many other points of advantage are included in an engine constructed after the manner of my invention, and while in the foregoing I have shown and described only specific forms of the various parts, it will of course be understood that a number of variations and modifications might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts as well as in the manner of actuating the same during operation of the engine, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure but rather only to such points as may be set' forth in the claim. I

I claim:

An internal combustion engine comprising a power cylinder, a compression cylinder, a reciprocating piston in each, valve chambers connecting the respective ends of the cylinders, valves in said chambers timed to be opened at fixed points in the movement of the power piston, intake openings to both ends of the compression cylinder, exhaust openings from both ends of the power cylinder, valves controlling all said openings, and sparking means at both ends of said power cylinder; combined with a crank to which the power piston is connected, an arm mounted on the crankshaft and to which the compression piston is connected, and governor-actuated means for varying the position of the arm with respect to the crank according as the speed of the engine is increased or decreased, and thereby advancing or retarding the point of greatest compression without altering the degree thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. JOSEPH G. WOODFORD. Witnesses: s

FRED A. BELL, LELA GRIFFITHS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

